LEICA FOTOGRAFIE INTERNATIONAL
May 1996

LYNN SAVILLE – The Click is the Kick

On the streets of New York at night, where the mixture of natural and artificial light constantly change the appearance of roads and buildings, is where Lynn Saville took these black-and-white photos.  More precisely, it was the play of light and shade under the nocturnal conditions of snow, rain and fog which inspired the photographer to create the poetic images for this portfolio. 

Her source of inspiration was the “attraction of the world at twilight.”  Whereas a walk during the day is fine enough, it is really at night-time that she senses the “power of the universe around her,” as she explained.  Lynn Saville used a Leica M for these pictures but remembered to take a tripod with her on every jaunt.  “The Leica is very important to me for my personal projects.  I can depend on the quality of the lenses, and the noise the camera makes inspires me.  I work alone, usually in quiet places, so that the click of the shutter is an indispensable kick.  I get the feeling I’m doing a good job.” 

The film Lynn Saville used for this series was Ilford HP5 which she rated at ISO 200 and developed accordingly.  In this way, both the highlights and the shadows retained some definition. 

These mystical, nocturnal views taken by the New York photographer have been hung in several galleries and museums, accepted for permanent collections and published in many American magazines.  Lynn Saville’s photographs are due to be published next spring by Rizzoli International Publication Inc. in a book entitled “Acquainted with the Night.”  Subsequent world-wide distribution will follow.  Lynn Saville is represented by the Yancey Richardson Gallery, 560 Broadway, New York City.